Dinner / Casseroles & pot pies
Turkey Pot Pie with a Flaky Top Crust
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Leftover turkey comes back under a flaky crust, in a sauce made from real stock, with thyme and soft vegetables. Everyone who swore they were done with turkey will be at the table with a fork.
The short version
Soften onion, carrot and celery in butter in an ovenproof skillet, stir in flour, then stock and a little cream for a thick sauce; add turkey and peas, cool 15 minutes, lay a pie crust on top and bake at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes. Let it stand 15 minutes before serving.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Make the sauce with stock, not milk. A velouté built on turkey stock with only a splash of cream at the end tastes like turkey instead of white sauce. A squeeze of lemon right before the crust goes on wakes it up.
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Crust on top only. A bottom crust under a wet filling never really bakes. One top crust gets the whole oven to itself and comes out flaky all the way through.
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Cool the filling before the crust goes on. Cold dough on steaming filling melts its butter before the oven can set it. Fifteen minutes off the heat keeps the layers.
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Brown the vegetables in the same skillet. A few minutes of color on the onion and carrots before the flour goes in gives the sauce depth, and the skillet goes straight into the oven, so there's one pan to wash.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Unsalted butter6 tablespoons
- Yellow onion1 medium
- Carrots2 medium
- Celery2 rib
- Fresh thyme leaves2 teaspoons
- Heavy cream½ cup
- Cooked turkey3 cups
- Frozen peas1 cup
Filling
Crust
yes, all of the butter
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Cook the vegetables
Melt the butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and salt and cook, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and the edges of the carrots start to color, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme for the last minute.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cook the flour
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until it coats everything, smells toasty and no dry patches remain.
About 2 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Whisk in the stock
Pour in the warm stock about half a cup at a time, stirring well after each addition so it stays smooth. Bring it to a simmer and cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until it's thick enough to coat a spoon heavily, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream.
Add the first splashes of stock slowly. Once the paste is loose and smooth, the rest can go in faster without lumps.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add turkey and peas, then cool
Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the turkey, peas, parsley, lemon juice and pepper. Taste and add salt; leftover turkey usually needs it. Let the filling cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, set a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat it to 400°F.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Roll and top
Roll the pie crust on a floured counter into an 11-inch round about ⅛ inch thick. Drape it over the filling and tuck the edges down inside the rim of the skillet. Brush the top with the egg wash and cut four or five 2-inch slits in the center so steam can escape.
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Bake
Set the skillet on a rimmed sheet pan to catch drips and bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles thickly through the slits, 30 to 35 minutes.
Pale crust means underbaked crust. Give it the full time; it should be the color of a pie, not a biscuit.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Let it stand
Rest the pot pie for 15 minutes before you cut in. The sauce thickens as it cools slightly, so it holds together on the plate instead of running everywhere.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- No skillet? Make the filling in a pot and pour it into a deep 9-inch pie dish or a 2½-quart baking dish, then top and bake the same way.
- Puff pastry works in place of pie crust. Roll one thawed sheet just large enough to cover the skillet, brush with egg, cut slits and bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and deep golden.
- Swap in any cooked vegetables left from the holiday (roasted squash, green beans, mushrooms) for some of the carrots and peas; keep the total to about 3 cups.
- Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Put the crust on the cold filling and add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake.
- Storage. Covered in the fridge, 3 to 4 days. Freeze the unbaked, crusted pie wrapped tightly for up to 3 months and bake from frozen at 375°F for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Reheat portions at 350°F until hot through, about 20 minutes.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Can I use store-bought pie crust for turkey pot pie?
Yes. One refrigerated crust covers a 10-inch skillet. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it unrolls without cracking.
Why is my pot pie filling runny?
Either the sauce didn't simmer long enough to thicken, or the pie was cut too hot. Simmer until the sauce heavily coats a spoon, and give the baked pie its 15 minutes before serving.
Can I make turkey pot pie with chicken?
Yes, any cooked chicken works the same way, including a rotisserie chicken. Use chicken stock and the same amounts.
Can I make turkey pot pie ahead?
Make the filling up to 2 days ahead, or assemble the whole pie and freeze it unbaked. Bake chilled filling 10 to 15 minutes longer and frozen pies about 1 hour 15 minutes at 375°F.
Do I need a bottom crust?
No. A bottom crust under a wet filling steams instead of baking. A top crust only gives you all the flaky part with none of the soggy part.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 26, 2026.